Global alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) announced today that Jackie Roberts will join the firm as Chief Sustainability Officer, a newly created position. Ms. Roberts comes to Carlyle from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), where she was a Senior Director of the Idea Bank for the US Climate and Energy Program. Ms. Roberts begins her duties in mid-February and will be based in Washington, DC.

Carlyle Co-CEO and Chief Investment Officer William E. Conway, Jr. said, “With her extensive background in tying business strategy to sustainability opportunities, Jackie will help ensure that Carlyle makes the most of our ESG efforts as we work to create value for our investors. We view ESG as not just compatible with value creation, but a tool to help us maximize returns.”

As Chief Sustainability Officer, Ms. Roberts will lead Carlyle’s global environmental, social and governance efforts (ESG) and work closely with our portfolio companies to drive understanding and adoption of ESG principles. Carlyle’s citizenship activities are detailed in three annual Corporate Citizenship Reports at www.carlyle.com/citizenship.

David Marchick, Managing Director and Head of Global External Affairs, said, “Carlyle was one of the first major alternative investment firms to incorporate environmental, social and governance issues into its investment process. Bringing someone of Jackie’s caliber to Carlyle deepens our commitment - a commitment that is critical to our LPs, employees and the communities in which we invest.”

Ms. Roberts said, “Carlyle’s embrace of sustainability issues and wealth creation makes this a particularly promising opportunity. With its efforts to help create the PEGCC’s Guidelines for Responsible Investment and EcoValuScreen with EDF, Carlyle established itself as an early leader in this area. This gives us a running start that I believe has much run room. I especially look forward to working with the investment teams on these important matters.”

A 17-year veteran of EDF, Ms. Roberts has been active in emerging technologies and climate and energy issues as Director of Sustainable Technologies for the Washington-based nonprofit group, which works to solve the most critical environmental problems facing the planet. At EDF, she also launched the Corporate Partners Program in which the group worked with corporations including McDonald’s and FedEx to marry business innovation with environmental strategy. Ms. Roberts spent a year on corporate sustainability issues as a Senior Faculty Fellow at Harvard Business School. She has also consulted on corporate environmental strategies and worked as an engineer for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Ms. Roberts, 51, earned her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Yale University, an MBA from the Yale School of Management, and a Masters in Environmental Studies from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

About The Carlyle Group

The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) is a global alternative asset manager with $185 billion of assets under management across 122 funds and 81 fund of funds vehicles as of September 30, 2013. Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of its investors, many of whom are public pensions. Carlyle invests across four segments – Corporate Private Equity, Real Assets, Global Market Strategies and Solutions – in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, North America and South America. Carlyle has expertise in various industries, including: aerospace, defense & government services, consumer & retail, energy, financial services, healthcare, industrial, technology & business services, telecommunications & media and transportation. The Carlyle Group employs more than 1,450 people in 34 offices across six continents.